Yorkshire Dales National Park

I love the tee-shirt that says "All those who wander are not lost". At breakfast this morning Julie and I decided that we were not up for driving to some local lord's manor to pay an admission fee to see his house. We were up for taking advantage of the promise of the BBC of clearing skies as the afternoon unfolded. After a wonderful pub lunch at the Three Greyhounds we headed off to the east to the Yorkshire Dales National park. Julie and I love to do this at home in our beloved Blueridge and today's adventure did not disappoint. We wandered all day through this glorious region and were treated to some beautiful scenery. We definitely expeirened many Hills and Dales. So...lets see the pictures.

Today was another tripod day as I was attempting to get pictures as sharp as possible. My new Nikon D7200 is preforming nicely and the 18-300mm lens is very sharp in spite of the large focal length. It is nice to be not changing lenses all the time. The park region has very few cars in comparison to our parks but it is filled with walkers.  Stopping by the side of the road did not turn into a problem. This does look like a wonderful place to walk the public foot paths. After a long day your destination is one of the many pubs catering to walkers.  Hike and Brew - I like it!.

I must say I have never seen so many sheep and so many varieties. Instead of the Bird Guide I picked up I should have picked up a Sheep Guide. As we drove through the countryside we came across a shepherd training his border collie. What fun to listen to the whistles and calls and have the dog run through his paces. These are one smart breed of dog.

The rural life of these folk appears to be absolutely idyllic. It is so desirable that rural property and rural village homes have sky-rocketed in price.  Our humble farm owners who have renovated the space we are staying in are both chemical engineers working for Proctor and Gamble. An Audi sports car has replaced a tractor in the farm yard.  Like so many Americans, a commute to work must be a small price to pay for living their dream.

Say hello to Squirrel Nutkin! We were lucky to see one of the rare Red Squirrels that resides on this farm. Red squirrel signs are everywhere cautioning you to slow down and be careful of them. Hey in my neighborhood people speed up when a squirrel crosses the road. These Reds were almost eliminated over the years and now, as protected, are making a come back. Gray Squirrels - look out - residents are urged to shoot them.

Tonight I am determined to take a flashlight and find a hedgehog. I'm woking on my Beatrix Potter "life list". With that thought, I'll leave you until tomorrow. Bye for now!